The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-10-06
THE LOVERS LEAP.
A Tale of Border Life of Forty
Years Ago. Il
By GAsKELL.

headWaters of the Nebraska River, q
hundred or more miles above Fort
Laramie, myself and pards were en-
camped. We had spent both winter
and summer of the year before away up
on the Green River, and with trapping
and trading we had made good thing
of it. We had run ferry across Green
River, up on the route called Sublette's
Cut Off, and we had made very good
thing of it. AS the travel to California
was heavy, we had taken in that year q
great cal of gold. Besides, our trade
IN worn out, broken down horses had
been extra good-for five, or ten dol
lars, we would buy horse that had
given out, that two months run on
| the good, nutritious grazing there
abouts, would make all right again, and
| tn more than ten times the money
we gave for him. So when We came
down from the mountains in the fall,
| We were pretty we'll fixed financially,
and could we preserve our stock till
next years travel came along we would
! just make our independent fortune.
There we're four of us IN company,
all tried pards, who had faced many
dangers together-with the motto "one
for all, and alt for one" We bad each
been tried in more than one desperate
strait, and the band of Indians that
could get the better of us by fair means,
Or good square fighting, had to get up
pretty early in the morning. We were
we'll known on the border-well known,
and most of the tribes were friendly,
though we saw many a brawny buck
suOwl and froWn upon US, who, had he
had his own way, would have BODIED US
no good. But we generally managed to
stand fair with the chiefs, and in the
| tribal difficulties around, we generally
stood aloof and took no part-conse-
quently we were welcomed by all,
though, as have said, there were in
dlViduals who would, had they dared.
have raided our stock and have killed
US.
It is generally better to buy an In
dams good will than to fight him-and
most emphatically is this the case, IN
less you are power enough to promptly
check ilsolence and crush out
opposition. Halfway measures never
do any good with them - Vscil-
| lation, or hesitation, to an Ii
dian, is always sign of weak
rise to contempt and then the Indian >
ruthlessness and nervousness is salts
fed only by his power to do mischief.
The Uheyennes we're camped there,
not far from the river you see ahead
just round the point of the bluff there =
away. They were Black Butfalo'S band
and we had met them more than once,
having done considerable trading with
them. The chief had a daughter, the
Morning Dawn" they called in their
lingo; and she was really 3 beauty for
an Indian, you bet. Most Of the young
braves of the tribe were in love, and
dressed and painted and put on airs at
great rate, but she was free as air so
far; for the astute, scheming old chief,
her father, hoped to increase his own
consequence, through some powerful
alliance with his daughter; and so
made the young men stay at a distance,
though he still covertly held out hopes,
that through brave deeds they might
hope to win and wear her.
We had often seen the young girl
and worst of all, one of our pards,
Jack Romer, fell in love with her
and by and by we saw she had liking
for him. This was trouble forus with
vengeance for We knew the old chief,
her father, would STAY her with his own
hand before one Of the hated whitemen
should have be-, But caution and
words were alike thrown away on Jack,
who guided by his love ana he really
did love the pretty young squaw, saw
no danger he dare not face for her; and
she, foolish young Shing, o wild bird in
freedom, read nothing but hope in the
handsome, dark, bright eyes of her
I'D Sfyy
that the Watchful jealousy of th1se put
to watch her would allow, to meet him
each meeting but ADDING to the fame
of love and filling their foolish young
heads with dreams that make them
less and less amenable TO the cool rea-
soning of ordinary life and ordinary
mOrtais.
1T won't do, Jack" would tell him,
"you can never win the consent of her
father, and you will but lose your
life, as well as endanger the lives of
your friends"
"I'm sorry for the last part, Joe. but
| know you would not have me go
back on young, innocent and pref y
girl. that trusts me, would your"
moi l would not have you go back
on her. or on anybody in what's right,
if it's gone as far as that-but Jack, there
is reason IN verything-even in love
What good would it do to win the girls
love and lose your life2 You know you
can't take her 10 the settlement with
you, and can you live forever on the
prairies or in the mountains, in the
wild, rude, sQualid way ker kinsmen do.
even supposing they gave her TO you ?
You have been we'll educated, Jack. 1
know that, for I have enough eduea-
ton myself to tell me so, and besides,
you perhaps have those at home who
hope better things of you. l ask no
confidence, JACK, BIT n the name OF our
long friendship do ask you to think
well before you 60 too far and Involve
yourself and US in common ruin"
An right, Joe: but have her 1 will,
in spite OF all the Indians, or fathers On
the plains"
$50 be 1t, Jack, WilfuI folly must
have its way. Only give us notice to
get up and get out Oh this vicinity in
time-and l guess it will be very many
moons before We will be seen or safe in
Cheyenne company if you run of with
their beauty and PRIDE"
had friend among the Cheyennes,
an OutCast and renegade from his |
own tribe, the Blackfeet of the north
west, who had been adopted into Black |
D. Aanl Ha Rod